tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post4214799230055673664..comments2015-05-05T05:56:07.060-04:00Comments on Frozen Woman: Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis: To Exercise Or Not To ExerciseLaurie Grassinoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post-52486100995179508672010-04-11T10:26:40.918-04:002010-04-11T10:26:40.918-04:00Any day that I feel up to it, I try to work out. ...Any day that I feel up to it, I try to work out. I feel it gives me strength and balance for the days I can&#39;t and need to have a strong body to pull me up. Some days I have to modify a lot.Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076282329093508289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post-32468011079722835642010-04-03T14:28:01.514-04:002010-04-03T14:28:01.514-04:00Good to hear it Laurie. Its not easy, but I belie...Good to hear it Laurie. Its not easy, but I believe it is definitely a benefits to us. I love working out and am just getting back on a consistent routine after the later part of last year into this year. You&#39;re right, a good workout makes your whole body feel good. I can&#39;t do what I once could, but I still do what I&#39;m comfortable with. I have tried to find exercises for RA patients and have not had much success. So, I walk every day, do weights 3 times a week and either a bicycle or elliptical 3 times a week. I&#39;ll be watching for your update on exercise.tharrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575686459496908135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post-35274644580598024302010-04-02T18:57:42.246-04:002010-04-02T18:57:42.246-04:00I think exercise is a must. For me it feels like ...I think exercise is a must. For me it feels like I am loosening up the joints (in a good way) and making them more liquid. Don&#39;t know if that makes sense but it is how it feels. I find the elliptical is a great cardio work out as long as you don&#39;t set the tension too high. I also ride a bike year round inside and out. Weight training helps support the weak joints. After 23 years dealing with RA I can honestly say that working out has made a tremendous difference in my mental outlook. Not sure what I would do without it.<br />Some days are a chore and often I have to adjust my workouts depending on pain level but I try to do something most days. And yes the pool is a good alternative when joints are really squaking. Kind of boring and not my favorite but it is something.<br />All of that being said, work at your own pace and take cues from your joints. Good luck.maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522208972382078197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post-40617362102865178752010-04-02T18:19:40.039-04:002010-04-02T18:19:40.039-04:00Sounds like a good plan. I read the RAPIT study yo...Sounds like a good plan. I read the RAPIT study you referred to; it looks excellent. You GO, girl, and consider Finny well-patted. :o)rheumabloghttp://rheumablog.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post-13105593826676596902010-04-02T17:22:49.734-04:002010-04-02T17:22:49.734-04:00Hey Wren,
Thanks for taking the time to repost yo...Hey Wren,<br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to repost your comment after the Blogger meltdown!<br /><br />I just came back from the gym and all went well. Of course, today my joints feel good, except my left foot, and the workout (20 minutes of cardio, then strength + stretching) was a good one. We&#39;ll see how other workouts go over the next couple of weeks.<br /><br />Exercising properly is of the utmost importance, and I&#39;ve always believed that. That&#39;s why when I started strength training (well before RA hit), I hired a personal trainer (not an option for everyone, though, I realize).<br /><br />Consulting a physiotherapist is undoubtedly a good idea and something I will do once I can coordinate a session with one and my personal trainer. Luckily, my personal trainer – as I&#39;ve mentioned in a previous post – is incredibly well educated, and I&#39;ve worked with her for some years and, as a result, I know quite good form. There is definitely a right way to do things – you can so hurt yourself if you do something the wrong way, and with RA, I can only imagine that risk is increased.<br /><br />I don&#39;t, however, in any of this, claim to be an expert, and I am all for consulting experts!<br /><br />That said, I&#39;m going with the Dutch RAPIT idea of exercise for now to see what happens. I will consult with my expert rheumatologist when I see her next month and get her thoughts on the RAPIT program, among other things. I will also keep you and everyone else up on how things are going in my mini-me study!<br /><br />Take care and keep well and give Finny a big pat for me!<br /><br />:) LLaurie Grassihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11297964722383351333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post-48511079235514814312010-04-02T15:02:47.888-04:002010-04-02T15:02:47.888-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03587456557210335403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6551994216062621619.post-3392284834124120512010-04-02T12:34:13.039-04:002010-04-02T12:34:13.039-04:00At the end of the first study you linked to, there...At the end of the first study you linked to, there was a recommendation that patients should work with a physical therapist in order to make sure they&#39;re doing the best, safest level of exercise they can for their particular circumstances. This seems like very sound advice to me.<br /><br />I was a little surprised that they called fears of exercise-induced joint damage, etc. &quot;baseless.&quot; Of course, they were working with a group of people with &quot;moderate&quot; disease, a term that is subject to great debate.<br /><br />I believe that exercise can be wonderful for rheama, but one has to be pragmatic about it. I don&#39;t know about you, but when my joints are flaring, exercising them is so exceedingly painful that it feels, literally, like torture. I&#39;ve been advised by my PT that while vigorous exercise is good for me overall, and good for my rheuma overall, it&#39;s NOT good to force painful, inflamed joints to move. Even if doing so does no extra damage (and I have to question this, since rheuma actually loosens joints and makes them unstable), it hurts like a ... well, you know. And that&#39;s NOT good for mental health at all.<br /><br />In the end, I think you just have to listen to your own body, Laurie. Exercise the joints you CAN exercise without causing yourself even more pain, and be gentle with the ones that are flared. Consult a PT. I think that&#39;s your best route. And in the meantime, those isometrics can be very beneficial over time, even if they don&#39;t give you the workout you&#39;re longing for right now.<br /><br />I hope your rheuma will give you a break from pain and allow you to get some good, uninterrupted sleep soon. Sending warmth and comfort and hugs your way, and thinking of you ...<br /><br />-Wrenrheumabloghttp://rheumablog.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com